CHETTINAD COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

QUESTION BANK

SUBJECT: EC6501 DIGITAL COMMUNICATION

YEAR/SEM: III/V

UNIT-1 INFORMATION THEORY

PART A

1. What is entropy and give its mathematical equation.

2. Define source coding theorem. State the significance of source coding.
3. What is BSC?
4. Why is Huffman code called as minimum redundancy code?
5. An event has six possible outcomes with probabilities {1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32,
1/32}. Solve for the entropy of the system.
6. Outline the concept of discrete memoryless source.
7. Calculate the amount of information if 𝑝𝑘=1/4.
8. Identify the properties of entropy.
9. Describe information rate?
10. Interpret the theory of mutual information.
11. Describe the concept of discrete memoryless channel.
12. State the properties of mutual information.
13. Examine the types of discrete memoryless channel.
14. Give the main idea of Channel Capacity.
15. State channel coding theorem.
PART B

1. Five symbols of the alphabet of discrete memory less source and their probabilities
are given below, S={S0, S1,S2,S3,S4) P(S)={0.4,0.19,0.16,0.15,0.1}. Predict the
symbols using Huffman coding and calculate the average code word length and
efficiency.
2. A Source generates five messages m0, m1, m2, m3 and m4 with probabilities 0.55,
0.15, 0.15, 0.10 and 0.05 respectively. The successive messages emitted by the
source are statistically independent. Determine code words for the messages and
efficiency using Shannon Fano algorithm.
3. Enumerate Shannon’s Fano algorithm and Huffman coding with a suitable example.
4. (i)Give the main idea of discrete memoryless channel and its matrix form involving
transition probabilities. (10)
(ii)Relate the concept of Binary symmetric channel with Binary communication
channel. (6)
5. Interpret the mutual information and its properties.
6. Draw the block diagram of Digital Communication system and Construct each of its
components.
7. (i) Define channel capacity. Derive the channel capacity of a binary symmetric
channel. (10)
(ii) State Channel coding theorem. (6)
8. Describe channel capacity theorem with its implication.
9. A telephone channel has a bandwidth of 3 kHz .(i)Predict channel capacity of the
telephone channel for a SNR of 20 dB(ii)Estimate minimum SNR required to support
a rate of 5 kbps.
10. (i) Brief the properties of entropy. (ii) Describe the BSC and BEC with their channel
diagram and transition matrix.

UNIT-2 WAVEFORM CODING

PART A

1. Define prediction error.

2. State the two properties of linear prediction.
3. Differentiate between PCM and DPCM.
4. What is prediction gain? State its significance.
5. What is delta modulation?
6. Mention the drawbacks of DM.
7. A speech signal with maximum frequency of 3.4 KHz and maximum amplitude of 1v
is applied to a delta modulator whose bit rate is set at 20Kbps. Discuss the choice of
appropriate step size for delta modulator.
8. The idle channel noise in a delta modulator is negligibly small. Justify the validity of
the statement.
9. What is slope overload and granular noises?
10. State the principle of ADM.
11. Compare DM and ADM.
12. What are the objectives of speech coding techniques?
13. Define ADPCM.
14. What are the different types of adaptive quantization methods?
15. Define APF and APB.
16. What is the principle of Liner Predictive Coder (LPC)?
17. Draw the model of speech production process.
18. Mention the applications of LPC.
19. What is adaptive sub band coding?
20. What is line coding?
21. Define transparency of a line code. Give two examples of line codes which are not
transparent.
22. State any 4 properties of a line code.
23. What is Manchester code? Draw its format for the data 10011.
24. Draw the NRZ and RZ code for the digital data 1110100.
25. What is meant by pseudoternary signaling?
26. What are the requirements of line code?
 PART B

1. What is DM? Explain the transmitter and receiver of DM with neat block diagram.
2. Explain DPCM system with neat block diagram and expressions. Show that SNR of
DPCM system is better than of PCM.
3. Explain noises in DM system. How to overcome this in ADM?
4. Describe the temporal and spectral waveform coding methods.
5. With necessary diagrams, explain ADPCM.
6. What is low bit rate speech coding? Draw the block diagram of adaptive sub band
coding scheme for speech signal and explain.
7. Discuss about the structure of linear predictor. Also explain the process of
prediction error.
8. Explain the principle of Linear predictive vocoder with neat diagrams.
9. Derive the signal to quantization noise ratio of delta modulator. Assume that there is
no slope overload distortion in the system.
10. Consider a DM system designed to accommodate analog message signal limited to
bandwidth of 5 KHz. A sinusoidal signal of 1 volt and frequency of 1 KHz is applied
to the system. The sampling rate of the system is 50 KHz. (i) Calculate the minimum
step size required to avoid slope overload. (ii) Calculate the signal to quantization
noise ratio of the system.
11. Derive the power spectral density of NRZ polar, NRZ bipolar, NRZ unipolar code and
explain.
12. Derive the expression for power spectral density of unipolar NRZ line code. Hence
discuss its characteristics.
13. (i) List and explain the properties of line codes.
(ii) Derive the power spectral density of Manchester code.

UNIT – 3 Baseband Transmissions

PART A

1. What is ISI?
2. ISI cannot be avoided. Justify the statement.
3. How does pulse shaping reduce ISI?
4. Draw the ideal and basic amplitude response of pulse waveform.
5. Define roll off factor.
6. State the Nyqusit criterion for zero ISI.
7. What is eye pattern? State any two applications of eye pattern.
8. What is equalization?
9. What is correlative coding?
10. Define duo binary system. What are the drawbacks of it?
11. Draw the block diagram of adaptive equalizer.
12. What are the methods used to implement adaptive equalizer?
13. Why do we need equalization filter?
14. What is an eye diagram?

PART B
1. Explain modified duo-binary signaling scheme with & without precoder.
2. Explain how ISI occurs in base-band binary data transmission system.
3. Describe the Nyquist criterion method for distortion less transmission.
4. The Fourier transform P(f) of the basis pulse p(t) employed in a certain binary
communication system is given by
 6  f 
10 1  6 if 10  f  10
6 6

P( f )    10 

0otherwise
(a) From the shape of P(f), explain whether this pulse satisfies the Nyquist criterion
for ISI free transmission.
(b) Determine p(t) and verify your result in part a.
(c) If the pulse does satisfy the Nyquist criterion. What is the transmission rate (in
bits/sec.) and what is the roll-off factor?
5. Explain the pulse shaping method to minimize ISI.
6. Draw and explain the block diagram of duo-binary signaling scheme for controlled
ISI.
7. Briefly discuss about
(i) Eye pattern.
(ii) Adaptive equalization.

Unit – 4 Digital Modulation Scheme

PART A

1. What is the need for geometric representation of signals?

2. Why we go for Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization procedure?
3. Define BPSK and DPSK.
4. Why PSK always preferable over ASK in coherent detection?
5. What are the drawbacks of binary PSK system?
6. A BFSK employs two signaling frequencies f1 and f2. The lower frequency f1 is
1200Hz and signaling rate is 500 baud. Calculate f2.
7. What are the advantages of QPSK over PSK?
8. What is constellation diagram?
9. A BPSK system makes errors at the average rate of 100 errors per day. Data rate is
1Kbps. The single sided noise power spectral density is 10W/Hz. Assume the system
to be wide sense stationary, what is average bit error rate probability?
10. Define QAM and draw its constellation diagram for M = 8.
11. Write the special features of QAM.
12. Differentiate coherent and non-coherent detection.
13. Define spectral efficiency.
14. What is meant by symbol synchronization?
15. List out the difference between carrier recovery and clock recovery.
16. Compare the error probability for BPSK and QPSK.
17. What is the error probability of DPSK?
18. Write the features of DPSK.
19. What is meant by memory less modulation?
20. Compare BER and SER.

PART B

1. Describe with diagrams the generation and detection of coherent BFSK. Explain the
probability of error for this scheme.
2. Explain non coherent detection methods of binary frequency shift keying scheme.
3. Explain the generation and detection of binary PSK. Also derive the probability of
error for PSK.
4. Compare the performance of various coherent and non-coherent digital detection
systems.
5. Discuss about coherent detection of QPSK and derive its power spectral density.
6. With constellation diagram, explain the QAM transmitter. Also derive its power
spectral density.
7. A set of binary data is sent at the rate of Rb = 100 Kbps over a channel with 60 dB
transmission loss and power spectral density 𝞰 = 10-12 W/Hz at the receiver.
Determine the transmitted power for a bit error probability Pe = 10-3 for the
following modulation schemes.
(i) FSK (ii) DPSK (iii) PSK (iv) 16 QAM
8. Explain the carrier synchronization methods with block diagrams.
9. Briefly discuss about the Non-coherent detection of PSK and QPSK.
10. Briefly discuss about the principle of DPSK system.

UNIT- 5

ERROR CONTROL CODING

Part A

1. State the channel coding theorem.

2. What are the objectives of channel coding?
3. Define coding efficiency.
4. Define Hamming distance and calculate its value for two code words 11100
and 11011.
5. Define Hamming weight and minimum distance.
6. State the significance of minimum distance of a block code.
7. State the principle of error free communication.
8. Define linear block codes.
9. Write syndrome properties of linear block codes.
10. What is Hamming codes?
11. Write the advantages and disadvantages of Hamming codes.
12. Define syndrome vector.
13. Mention the properties of cyclic code.
14. State any 2 properties of generator polynomial.
15. What are the advantages and disadvantages of cyclic code?
16. What is convolutional code? How is it different from block codes?
17. Mention the structural properties of a convolutional encoder.
18. What is meant by BCH code?
19. Define CRC codes.
20. What is Viterbi decoding scheme?

Part B

1. Construct a single error correcting (7, 4) linear block code and the
corresponding decoding table. (16)
2. (i) Explain the generation of (n, k) blocks codes and how block codes can
be used for error control. (10)
(ii) Explain the syndrome decoder for cyclic codes. (6)
3. Consider a (7, 4) linear block code whose parity check matrix is given by

(i) Find the generator matrix.

(ii) How many errors this code can detect?
(iii) How many errors can this code be corrected?
(iv) Draw circuit for encoder and syndrome computation. (16)
The generator polynomial of a (7, 4) Hamming code is defined by
g(D) = 1 + D2 + D3
Develop the encoder and syndrome calculator for this code. (16)
5. (i) Find a generator polynomial for a (7, 4) cyclic code and hence find the
code word for [1 1 0 0]. (8)
(ii) Construct the encoder for (7, 4) cyclic codes. (8)
6. Explain how encoding is done by convolutional codes with an example. (16)
7. For (6, 3) systematic linear block code, the code word comprises I1, I2, I3
and P1, P2, P3 where the three parity check bits are formed from the
information bits as follows:

Find: (i) Parity check matrix and generator matrix (3)

(ii) All possible code words. (3)
(iii) Minimum weight and minimum distance. (3)
(iv) Error detecting and correcting capability of the code. (3)
(v) If the received sequence is 101010, calculate the syndrome and decode
the received sequence. (4)
8. Describe the steps involved in the generation of linear block codes. Define
and explain properties of syndrome. (16)
9. Explain Viterbi algorithm to decode a convolutionally coded message.(16)
10. Design a convolutional coder of constraint length 6 and rate efficiency 1/2.
Draw its tree diagram and trellis diagram. (16)